


Because We Have To

by felineladyy



Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: Gay yearning, Howard Carter Appreciation, Howard Carter is Sexy, I will make that a tag, M/M, Mission Fic, bc it's true, kind of, mostly it's a mustache fic, uh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:01:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24139306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/felineladyy/pseuds/felineladyy
Summary: Barnes thinks Howard is sexy. That is Literally It.
Relationships: Commander Barnes/Howard Carter (Rusty Quill Gaming)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 26





	Because We Have To

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kristsune](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kristsune/gifts).



> This is for Kris!!!!!! The Commander of this here vessel. But a small token of my affection for all the sweet, sweet Carnes & Barter you supply. Thank you for being absolutely LOVELY.
> 
> (side note i don't write do not @ me about the quality here it's about they LOVE)

If you had asked Barnes what kind of person he would be in a relationship, he would have had a very short answer prepared. He would be the same. He hadn’t really been what you would call ‘in love’ before, but he had passing attractions, a few trysts here and there and mostly he wasn’t really any different. Barnes was focused and driven. He had goals to accomplish, ranks he wanted to achieve and he had checked quite a few of them off his list. It was in part his personality and part what the navy had instilled in him. This self description that no one ever asked for remained to be completely true. Right up until he met Howard fucking Carter.

Barnes was watching that very same Howard right now. Howard was crouched down working very diligently on a safe and muttering to himself while Barnes stood behind him ‘standing guard’ as it were. It was a damn good thing they were alone and there weren’t any threats because Barnes hadn’t looked away from Howard since he started in on the lock. When they finally got to the safe room, Howard ‘s eyes made it to the lock and Barnes had assumed it was already unlocked given how excited Howard got. It wasn’t, but Howard lit up. It was very much locked but apparently for his rogue this meant he got to conquer whatever kind of special complicated thing this was (Barnes, darling, i am about to be one of five people to ever successfully crack this model of safe open. You have a front row seat to magic). Barnes didn’t get it but he could understand why it made Howard smile the way it did. An added bonus was getting to observe him this whole time. With the world in the state it was, moments to admire and drink in the other were hard to come by. 

Barnes was just staring at his eyes as he worked. It felt like maybe they were moving too fast but Howard rarely missed anything. Always cataloguing and observing and filing information away for later. Barnes really loved Howard’s eyes. Always so expressive and full of emotion. They’d gotten in the habit lately of communicating with just looks and that made Barnes’ heart feel odd. Constricted. Barnes considered a lot of the men he used to sail with family or maybe even closer than family, but this. No one knew Barnes like Howard. 

The mustache has to be the most ridiculous thing about Howard, but Barnes found himself so incredibly fond of it. Some younger version of Barnes is surely judging him for being so smitten with a man with a handlebar mustache, curled ends included, but that younger Barnes doesn’t yet know what being this happy feels like. It fits his face and like many of the things about Howard, it was so uniquely him. Barnes was sure he’d never seen anyone else pull it off the way Howard did so effortlessly. Barnes could count the amount of people on this earth that could work that facial hair on one hand. On one finger even. There was also the fact that Howard played with the ends when he was focused and thinking. Not to mention the way, as Barnes learned in private, he twisted at it when he was blushing. Laughing and looking away because of something Barnes had said.The kind of sweet, loving thing the Barnes of old had never felt like voicing before.

Howard was all folded up in front of that safe, but Barnes could still appreciate those long legs. Howard was so tall and lithe and since apparently he was standing here making a list of things that surprised him about his current life situation, might as well add Howard being tall. Barnes enjoyed the height of him for several reasons but recently one of his favored ones was getting to drag Howard down to his level to kiss him or tease him. Howard always got this glossy look in his eye when Barnes started dragging him around and that really only added to Barnes’ enjoyment.

Barnes’ gaze was slowly traveling back up Howard’s leg when a loud click rang out from the safe. Howard was holding his breath, staring wide-eyed, as he reached for the handle.and turned. Several more clunky noises and the door opened. Howard looked over at Barnes like he was checking to make sure he had seen the safe open too, making sure this was real.

“Knew you could do it, Howie.” Barnes said. The smile that broke out on Howard’s face was incredible. No matter what happened to the world or to them, they would always have these moments. Barnes was going to treasure them all.


End file.
